SAU Indefinitely Closes Sigma Tau Gamma over Hazing

[shadokat]

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Little Rock, AR
May 13, 2004

SAU indefinitely closes frat in hazing suit

BY STEPHEN DEERE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Southern Arkansas University has suspended indefinitely one of its
fraternities after allegations that members beat a pledge so badly he
spent 11 days in the hospital.

University officials delivered a letter Tuesday to Adam Dixon,
president of the Delta Iota chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity,
stating that the fraternity had been suspended from SAU indefinitely,
university spokesman Mark Trout said. The suspension must last at
least five years.

The letter accuses the fraternity of violating the Magnolia school's
policy banning hazing. Dixon could not be reached for comment. Calls
to a phone number the university provided for Dixon resulted in a
message saying the number had been disconnected.

The fraternity received the suspension notice one day after Frank
Bailey, a Mountain Home attorney, filed a lawsuit against the Delta
Iota chapter and the national fraternity alleging that on April 16
fraternity members beat 19-year-old Ty Keith of Magnolia so severely
that he had to have kidney dialysis and must undergo skingraft
surgery. Keith was participating in a fraternity initiation at the
time.

The suit also names Dixon and J Courson, the fraternity's adviser, as
defendants.

"This is a tragic incident in the lives of many people," Donna Y.
Allen, the university's president for student affairs, said in a
statement. "The actions taken by the university clearly confirm that
Southern Arkansas University will not tolerate any type of hazing."

The letter to the fraternity states that the investigation into the
alleged hazing is ongoing.

The Arkansas State Police also is investigating.

The Delta Iota chapter of the fraternity has until May 24 to appeal
the decision to the student affairs committee.

The national fraternity of Sigma Tau Gamma also has suspended the
local chapter, said Bill Bernier, the organization's executive vice
president.

"I'm not going to comment on the lawsuit," Bernier said, adding that
he himself had been to SAU to investigate.

Bernier said he will recommend to the national fraternity's judicial
board that the chapter be suspended for five years.

The Delta Iota chapter also was suspended for hazing in 1995 and was
reinstated in 1997, according to the suit.

The suit alleges that the national fraternity negligently allowed
hazing activities to occur.

Copyright 2004 Little Rock Newspapers, Inc.

[sigtau305]

that's not cool. I hope and pray for Ty Keith and Family. it's really a shame.

[DeltAlum]

This goes beyond hazing. This is assault. Those responsible should be prosecuted.

[Tom Earp]

God, what a sad state of affairs for Sigma Tau Gamma!

Beating a person this so severe is totally uncalled.

Garth, I can understand what you are feeling now.

I am sure that this has resounded among the Brothers of STG and is a wake up call for any and all Greek Organizations who see, hear, and know about it.

STG lsot a chance to be represented at a School and it has only hurt The Natioanal Fraternity and Greek Community!

[bonelifer]

It's definately sad. Being from that school, I've heard that the incident was one of being singled out because they didn't like him. So it was more than just part of an initiation gone wrong, it was serious malice that was premeditated and seriously cold hearted. Fortunately, Ty's kidneys finally started working on their own but they will still be permanently damaged and could fail later in his life. Unfortunately he still has several skin grafts to go in order to replace the large chuck of flesh that is missing from his tail end. Sadly enough also, I had at least one of them attend one of my final exams in the business building. They should all receive jail time if they were there, whether or not they participated. If they were there and didn't stop it, they might as well have done it themselves, besides can they really say they didn't know what was going to happen to him. I doubt it was a case of a few individuals not likeing him.

[Kevin]

Just a 5 year ban for that?

All involved and aware should be locked up. I'm sure Sigma Tau Gamma, being an excellent organization will disaffiliate all of these idiots.

[kappa2]

I believe this is way beyond a fraternal issue. It doesn't sound like what happened happened to a group of pledges or routinely as part of initiation...it sounds like assult and battery and should be prosecuted accordingly--as individuals making criminal choices would normally be prosecuted without hesitation. It always bothers me when crime isn't really considered crime when it happens at a college.